30 Sept 2013

Hestia's Sonshine ....does The Passion Test

So, it's like this:  Motivating Sonshine to do anything other than play computer games is pretty hard-going.

I unearthed my Passion Test book (charity shop purchase - honestly) from the eleventy-billion Self Help  books that have not helped me one single jot.  But perhaps a teenager is a different matter.  Perhaps this will encourage him to find motivation.

Me:  I found this book *waves book around*

Sonshine:  Right?

Me:  I think that it would be fun for you to do the Passion Test.

Sonshine:  Do I have to, like, READ it?  *already looks bored*

Me:  No.  I'll tell you what to do and you just do it.  Are you up for it?

Sonshine shrugs and gazes at carpet in resigned-let's-get-it-over-with fashion.

Me:  Here's a pad and pencil.  I want you to spend a couple of minutes thinking of what would be in your life if it was absolutely FANTASTIC and that would have you springing out of bed with  a smile on your face EVERY day.  Ok?

Sonshine:  But I usually AM quite happy when I get up.  Unless I've been listening to you reading me a  ghost story at bed time.  Then I'm usually just knackered because, like, I have had hardly any sleep?

He's started this annoying upflick at the end of his sentences? Like this? Which I thought had died out with re-runs of Friends?  Clearly not.

He starts scribbling away.

Me:  Have you come up with about 10?

Sonshine:  Yep.  But I don't want you to read them.

He hands me the list which I proceed to hold out in front of me like a town cryer, with the list facing him, not me.

Me:  Point number one - compare it to point number two.  Is it still at the top of your list?

Sonshine:  Nope, I'd rather have point number two.

Me:  Excellent - now consider point number two.  Would you rather keep it than point number three?

Sonshine:  No I'd rather have point number two.

Point number two keeps it's high ranking place until we get to point number five.

Sonshine - I'd rather have point number five than point number two.

Me:  I'm getting confused with where we are in the list.  Can I not just read your list and we can do it that way?

Sonshine: Nope

So I struggle on with each of the points, trying to keep straight in my head which points were still in his top five and which were sent to the bottom of the list.

Point number five stays at the top until we get to point nine.  Then it takes centre stage.

Sonshine:  Actually, I'd like point number nine at the top of my list.

Me:  I'm getting confused, can I not just read the list?

And so I read the list.



And I read what point number five is, and how it trumped the other points before it.  And my eyes whell up with tears.

Until I get to point number nine.

And realise that having a USB table top fridge trumps World Peace and his parents having a happy relationship.

Children, who'd have them?  Seriously.  Do you want mine?



Note:  Point 10:  'Origin' is where one needs to have an on-line account to play The Sims 4 or something and Sonshine's account refuses to work.  Origin only want to talk to us with a live person, not e-mailed instructions.  Or a telephone call.  Which is just NOT on the cards at all.




16 comments:

  1. LOL Bless 'em, the selfish little bastards :)

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    1. What can I say? He clearly takes after his father :-D

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    2. Don't say that, you've got to start showing that you like him :)

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  2. LOL I think Sonshine has been taking my classes - if no.5 works as expected, he will get nos. 9 & 10 .... :D

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    1. I must point that out to him. I am worried if he has been taking any classes with you. Especially if they are knitting classes. I will NOT be outknat by a teenage boy.

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  3. Interesting question to ask. What wonderful things sonshine came up with though. World peace! I am not sure Caspian would have even considered that! At least Sonshine is both honest and also self contained enough that the influence of his environment only makes him lose center for a moment. Sounds good to me :D

    I thought I would ask Caspian the same thing to see what he would say - his response was first "Oh thats really hard - I could say no school but actually maybe thats not really true" Pause Oh I know he said " I would want everything to be exactly the same, but I would be gaining joy from things, its the feeling of happiness I would want."

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    Replies
    1. that's weird - I commented on this ages ago, Emma! Internet glitches lol! Caspian clearly has better parenting going on than Sonshine :-D

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  4. that is QUITE the list - from the selfish to the sublime, but that, i think, is human beans in a nutshell!

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    1. It's mainly the selfish that amuses me with his list lol!

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  5. I split up with son's dad before he could talk and yet ....through the miracle of TV and film....he has concocted some sort of horrible history in which he lived through the hell of bitter battles and abuse........gotta love em!!!x

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    1. That's funny you should say that because my friend's youngest daughter has concocted a terrible home life story which baffles her poor parents who have done nothing but love her and support her. Well, they also forbid her to get a tattoo, so it might be all down to that :-D

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  6. To be fair the fact that he can have anything at all and he chooses world peace and you liking his dad at all is pretty spectacular.

    I have a mini fridge. Mini fridges are cool, if a bit useless most of the time.

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    Replies
    1. I told him you have a mini fridge. You are now regarded as Well Cool :-D

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  7. Hmm, I notice point 5 also got underlining and CAPS. Even if he would prefer the fridge ;) Still, the mum in me jumped on point 7 (having a parent/teacher meeting today may be affecting my perspective) - what doesn't he like about those classes? The teacher's, who he has to sit with? Gah, I'm such a worry wort :D
    Great idea to even ask him, though, Ali!
    Cx

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    1. I asked him about the classes and it is down entirely to disruptive elements in the class. Like me, he feels for the teacher when kids start acting up. It makes him uncomfortable and he would love to be in another class. But the classes are so small here on the island that there is not another class for him to move to. So he's grinning and bearing it :-(

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    2. Well, his attitude and approach does him proud! There must be some good parenting in there, to foster such a thoughtful chap :)

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